


Red Rose Yet White

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Anne and Richard: Inspired by Fairy Tales [33]
Category: The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-07 08:37:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15215276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: "If you want my pardon, Lady Anne, you must present me a red rose yet white."King Edward would pardon Lady Anne Neville after the defeat of Lancastrians, but under one ultimatum: she must find a red rose yet white.Based on the Grimm's Fairy Tale: "The Riddle"





	Red Rose Yet White

"Lady Anne, do you have an answer for me?" King Edward asked. He was not speaking like a kinsman, but as King of England.

Anne stood not too far away. Her eyes looked determined, but she had not spoken a word.

"Are you willing to wed my brother?" King Edward asked again, referring to his favorite brother Richard of Gloucester, who stood right next to him.

"No," Anne replied. "I don't want to wed again. I only ask if Your Grace can grant me what's rightfully mine."

"Wouldn't it be Dickon's heart then?" The King asked with amusement, to which his wife and queen Elizabeth Woodville laughed. Richard, on the other hand, remained silent. 

"The Beauchamp fortune and my castle in Middleham, sire," Anne said. 

King Edward looked at her as if she were an impossible fool, but then again, who knows what she had suffered in the hands of that monstrous Lancaster?

"Lady Anne, you leave me with no choice," King Edward said. "I do pity you and you do deserve what's rightfully yours, but Dickon is my brother. If you want to return to the North, you must do one thing for me."

"What is it, Your Grace?"

"You must find a rose that is red yet white."

"By when?"

"Whenever you can find it, just present it to me," King Edward said. "If you are unable, then you must go to the nunnery and rest of the Beauchamp fortune goes to the rightful heiress."

_Isabel, Duchess of Clarence, and her husband George._

* * *

 

"Veronique, have you ever seen a rose that is red yet white?"

Veronique, her confidante, shook her head. "No, Anne, I never seen one."

Slowly, with frustration, Anne told Veronique what King Edward asked from her. "I must find one. If I don't, then I have to go to nunnery and our family's fortune will be George's. What would happen to my mother?"

The name of George burned the tip of her tongue. Anne would never forgive his betrayal.

"I will help you Anne," Veronqiue comforted her. "We will search the gardens."

"What if we can't find one?"

"You don't know unless you try," Veronique said. "We can pray for it too before you retire to bed."

"What would it look like?" Anne asked herself. "A rose red yet white?"

Veronique only shrugged; she was clueless as well.

* * *

 

The two ladies went out to the garden and into the forest. Day by day, they searched high and low. Unfortunately, the only roses they could find was white, and very few red ones. But none of them fits the description of a red rose yet white.

Anne began to give up.

She also wanted to laugh at herself.

A red rose yet white - such a flower never existed, or had it? 

King Edward was only playing her. He wanted nothing other than satisfying his favorite brother Dickon. Anne despised to be treated like a pawn. She wasn't a gift and a toy. She was a widow and thus had her own choosing when it comes to marriage.

Richard only wanted to wed her for her fortune anyway.

She would not want to go through that again.

It started to rain.

"Anne, we must go back inside," Veronqiue insisted.

"No," Anne shook her head. "There might still hope."

"There is no such a rose red yet white!" Veronique tried to pull her away from the roses. "The King knows that, so does the Duke of Gloucester."

"I don't want to go back inside!" Anne resisted. 

The rain became heavy. Anne refused to move until she heard thunder. It reminded her that horrifying night on the ship where Isabel gave birth to a dead child. Finally, she went back inside.

* * *

 

After soaked in the heavy cold rain and exhaustion, Anne was burning with fever. She was in bed mumbling, not drinking or eating. Veronique brought soup to her chamber, but was stopped by Francis.

"You cannot go in there," Francis dragged her away.

"Why?" Veronique asked. "Lady Anne needs to eat. She's very ill."

"I cannot tell you why, but you cannot go in there!"

He tried to initiate a conversation with Veronqiue, and at the same time blocking her way to Anne's bedchamber.

* * *

 

"Father," Anne mumbled. "Father...help..."

She was pale and her skin was hot. 

"Father...father..."

Sitting by her four poster bed, Richard leaned down and whispered, "Yes?"

"Father..." Anne went on. "I...I can't find it. A red rose yet white. It doesn't exist. My mother...she is still in the sanctuary...The King wants me to marry Richard...but Richard hates me now...because I wedded Lancaster...he only wants my fortune...Father...you don't know...Lancaster never bedded me...Margaret of Anjou forbade it...I never loved him...I only did what I was told...Father...help..."

"Shh," Richard stroked her hair before she grabbed onto his hand.

"Father...don't go..."

Her hand held his tightly as if her life depended on it. Richard didn't pull back; and he watched over her until she calmed down and drifted asleep.

Door knocks interrupted him. 

Quickly, he tried to pull his hand away. But Anne held his hand so hard that his ring slipped off his finger and remained in her hand.

"Dickon?" Francis poked his head in. "We have to go. Duchess of Clarence is coming!"

* * *

 

Under the care of her sister and Veronique, Anne was well again. Veronique spotted the ring and cleverly, she hid it from Isabel. She placed it besides Anne's pillow after Isabel left.

"What is this?" Anne asked, taking the ring. She looked at it carefully and found the words _Loyalte Me Lie_  ascribed inside. "How did this came here?"

"The Duke of Gloucester was here," Veronqiue lowered her voice. She told Anne how Francis blocked her way and refused to let her in the chamber.

"Richard was here," Anne played with the ring.

"Anne, maybe you should accept his proposal," Veronique suggested. 

"No," Anne shook her head. "I think I'm going to the nunnery. I'm going to give this back to him. I need your help."

* * *

 

Francis was on his way to Richard's study, but Veronique blocked his way.

"You can't go in there!" She insisted.

Francis looked at her and let out a sigh. Within seconds, he knew what's going on. He sat and gestured Veronique to sat with him.

"A red rose yet white," Veronique muttered.

"Yes, the King wants Anne to present him a red rose yet white."

"It's impossible."

"Not really," Francis said. "The King wasn't asking for a flower exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Dickon and Anne were inseparable back in the North," Francis told Veronique. "We thought they were to wed after coming to age, but then war happened. I can never forget how Dickon reacted upon hearing Anne's betrothal to Lancaster. After Lancaster is slain, Dickon asked for the King's permission to wed Anne."

"He still loves her then?"

"He never stopped."

"You think he can change Anne's mind?" Veronqiue asked. "After what Anne went through, I don't think she wants to marry ever again."

Francis said nothing; he cared for Anne too. The two sat by the door and hours went by. 

Finally, the door was opened and Anne walked out with Richard's cloak on her shoulders.

"Francis," Richard came out and took Anne by the hand. "We must go."

"Where?"

* * *

The four of them went to a sanctuary where the priest took them in. 

Richard paid the priest with gold coins and from his breast pocket he took out a document. Anne gasped when she recognized it as the papal dispensation. Richard had set his heart to wed her; and he had everything arranged. Served as witnesses, Francis and Veronique watched as Richard and Anne exchanged their vows. 

_We are married now. It's an union of love and for House of York._

Anne looked at ring on her hand. 

_A red rose yet white._

* * *

 

After their wedding ceremony, they went to the bedchamber the priest arranged for them.

Anne found herself alone with Richard. She was still wearing his cloak.

She waited until he came to her. He removed the cloak and she looked down when he began to unlace her dress. Slowly, he pulled down her dress with her shift inch by inch until it was down to her waist. Anne blushed heavily. The cold air was against her skin and her nipples hardened. She continued to stare at the ground before Richard kissed her fully in the lips. She could feel his hand caressing her breast. He pressed her hand against his doublet, rubbing the wedding ring he placed on her finger.

Uneasily, Anne began to undress him. She rubbed his chest and traced the scars he sustained from battlefield. 

She kissed the corner of his mouth, his neck, and then his chest, where his heart lied.

They joined hands and interlaced their fingers before Richard lifted her up and carried her to bed. He removed her slippers and then rest of her garments. Anne placed his hand on her breast. She enjoyed his lips against her skin and curved her back when he kissed her nipples. She giggled when he kissed her belly but stopped him before he could move down further.

"Richard," she whispered. 

He caressed her thighs and wrapped her legs around him. Anne stroked his back and held him closely against her. She let out a gasp when he thrust into her. It was painful, but she only looked into his dark eyes and wanted more. He continued his thrust and she moved her body against his. She breathed the words "I love you" as he released. She felt bereft when Richard rolled off her body, but soon his hands were on her body again. He massaged every inch of her body. 

"You are mine, Anne", he murmured. "Always."

He placed a kiss on her belly.

* * *

Dressed in a blue gown, Anne came before King Edward. George and Isabel were there too; both were under the impression that Anne was to forsake her fortune and retire to sanctuary.

"Your Grace," Anne bowed. "You have asked me to present you a red rose yet white in order for me to receive my fortune; and if not, I shall retire to a nunnery."

King Edward nodded.

"I have found the red rose yet white," Anne said to the shock and dismay of George and Isabel.

"Did you?"

"A rose might become red after wedded to Lancaster, but her heart remain white as her loyalty to York."

The King smiled in satisfaction. "And how can you prove me your loyalty?"

"My heart has never betrayed you, Your Grace."

"She cheated!" George yelled. "I recognized the necklace she wore! It bores an "R". Richard gave her the answer to your riddle!"

"Is it true Anne?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"When did Dickon tell you?"

"On our wedding night, Ned," Richard said as he came to Anne's side. "Lady Anne Neville is now my wife and duchess."

King Edward laughed out loud. He applauded and stood. "Welcome back, Lady Anne. And you may have your fortune."

* * *

"A red rose yet white," Veronique said to herself as she rode behind Anne and Richard. "So the King wanted Anne to marry Duke of Gloucester all along. It was never about a flower."

"No," Francis laughed. "Anne and Dickon are meant to be. The King wanted Anne to see that."

"I haven't seen Anne this happy since..."

"I know."

They watched as Anne and Richard descended their horses. Richard presented a flower to Anne, which she accepted. She said something to Richard, and Richard burst out laughing. Francis never saw Richard as thus before but soon he knew why.

He saw Richard pulled Anne close and slipped his hand to her belly.

"He really loves her," Veronique remarked.

"He will never stop, unless there is a red rose yet white."


End file.
